Wheel-fender.



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PATBNTBD MAR.8,1904. MANUEL ESPINOSA DE Los MoNTBRos.

WHEEL FENDER.

APPLIcATIoN HLBD Dnc. 4, 1903.

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UNITED STATES atented March 190 PATENT OEEIcE.

MANUEL ESPINOSA DE LOS MONTEROS, OF MEXICO, MEXICO.

WHEEL-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 110,754,331, dated March s,1904. Application filed December 4, 1903i Serial No. 183,735. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, AMANUEL ESPINOSA DE "i" Los MoN'rERos, a citizen ofMexico, residing at -the city of Mexico, in the federal district ofMexico, in the Republic of Mexico, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Wheel-Fenders, of which the following is aspecification.

MyI invention relates to Wheel -fenders adapted to be attached to thefront of -moving vehicles, more especially to electric cars; and itsobject is to provide a wheel-fender so constructed as to'unfailinglypick up any obstruction in the way of the wheels and when so picked upto be sure to retain it upon the fender.

A further object is to provide a wheel-fender Simple and cheap inconstruction and having few parts, yet strong and durable.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand to the accompanying drawings.

While the essential and characteristic fea- Ytures of the invention aresusceptible of modiicatiomstill the preferred embodiment thereof isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 representsa View in perspective, showing the fender open for the reception of anyobstacleFig. 2 represents a side elevational view showing the fender inboth open and closed positions, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of thehinged connection between the two portions of the collector.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in thefollowing descriptionand indicated in all the "views of the drawings by the same referencecharacters.

' Referring to to the drawings, it is seen that the fender is composedof two principal parts, a hinged collector, comprising ra bottom a andback b, and an outside frame in which said collector is hung, comprisingtwo side pieces c and al and rods e, which connect and brace said sidesrigidly to allow for the proper workingof the collector.

The bottom and back a and b-of the collector are formed, preferably, ofan outer frame work of light steel; but said framework may be of anymaterial which has the required strength and rigidity. They arepreferably of a rectangular form, although any desired configuration maybe' used,'the back b being so attached to the bottom a; at each end ofits inner edge f as to form a hinged joint and be capable of folding intoward the bottom under proper conditions. WVithin the framework on eachof these parts is a lattice-work formed, preferably, of thin strips ofsheet-irony, which are interwoven one with another and "are spaced suchdistances apart as may be deemed convenient or necessary. Thislattice-work may also be formed of wire rope, or even hemp rope, tightlydrawnffso desired, the main object being to form .-a iight andserviceable back or base for the collector. Securely attached to each ofthe side bars t of the bottom (t at approximately their centers andprojecting outwardly therefrom are axles or bearing-rods a, providedwith an enlarged outer end y'. section and formed of hard steel,although any convenient cross-section may be used, and they may beformed of any metal capable of standing considerable wear. A similarpair of bearing-rods project from the side bars Z of the back I; towardthe upper end thereof. Upon each of these four axles may be placedantifriction-rollers m, if so desired, although my fender will performits Work in an entirely satisfactory manner without such aid to itsworking parts. It is noted that by thus sup- -porting thecollector-section a and b at approximately tl Aiters their outer endsare given a perfe e and unobstructed move` ment. y

vplaced at the back and two on the bottom, as

shown. About the center of the bottom of each side piece depends afriction-wheel n, which rests in a drop-bearing o of ordinary Iooconstruction. These wheels n are adapted to run on the ground oron thetracks in the case of electric cars, and thus prevent injury to thefender'by striking the ground.

The closed sides c and d are approximately triangular in shape, asshown, and have cut in each of them two openings or slots, as follows:one straight vertical slot p, situated in the upper rear corner of thetriangular plate, and a second curved approximately horizontal slot q inthe lower central portion lof the triangular plate. When the collectoris fitted between the side pieces, the axles or bearingrods vl and` loproject, respectively, .through the slots g and p, lthe enlarged ends ofthe axles being entirely on the outside of said side pieces and securelyholding the 'collector therebetween. To the lower end of the slot p ineach of the side pieces c and d is securely fastened the lower end of astrong spring r, preferably of spiral form, its upper end being alsosecurely fastened to the axles k. Obviously this spring may be fastenedin any approved manner, and I do not wish to limit myself to theparticular manner described. The tension of this spring is such that itexactly supports the weight of the collector, its normal positiontherefore being extended.

The whole fender is fastened in some convenient manner to the front ofthe vehicle or car on which it is to be used. The means here shown areordinary. T-bars s, secured in a vertical position to the rear edge ofeach of the sides, these T-bars slipping down into slots t, formed onthe front of the vehicle or car, the fender being disconnected byraising the same vertically from out of the slots t.

The operation is as follows: rl`he fender being in its normal position,as shown in Fig. l, an obstruction on the road is picked up by thebottom a, which, as shown, has a forward slant adapted to such work.This additional weight on the bottom of the collector overbalances thetension of the springs r, which as they collapse draw the back b downthe slots p after them. Owing to the hinged connection between the backb and bottom aand the free movement given tothe outer ends thereof bytheir means of support, this downward movement of the back draws thebottom rearwardly through the slots q and causes the front of the bottomto tilt up and assume a rearward slant, thus preventing the obstructioncontained thereon from slipping off again, the position assumed beingshown in Fig. 2.

If so desired, the front of the bottom amay be covered with a rubberbuffer w to break the force of the blow, this being especially desirablewhere human beings are liable to be picked up by the fender.

Obviously my invention may be .used in widely-Varying forms and somefeatures thereof may be used without others.-

Therefore without limiting myself to the construction shown anddescribed nor enumerating equivalents, I claim, and desire` to obtain byLetters Patent, the following:

1. A wheel-fender comprising a frame provided with closed sides, atilting collector within said frame, formed of two sections pivotedtogether and means in said sides for movably supporting each of saidcollector-sections, substantially as described. y

2. vA wheel-fender comprising a frame provided with closed sides, atilting collector within said frame, formed of two sections piv otedtogether and slots in said sides in which said collector-sections aremovably supported, substantially as described.

3. A wheel-fender comprising a tilting collector formed of two sectionspivoted together, each provided with bearings projecting from theirsides, and side sections each provided with slots in which said bearingsrest, whereby said collector-sections are movably supported,substantially as described.

4:. A wheel-fender comprising atilting collector formed of two sectionspivoted together, side sections adapted to movably support saidcollector-sections, and supporting means on said collector-sections soarranged that the outer ends thereof have. free movement, substantiallyas described. 5. A wheel-fender comprising a frame provided with closedsides, a tilting collector within said frame, formed of two sectionspivoted together, each provided with bearings projecting approximatelycentrally from their sides, and slots in said closed sides in which saidbearings rest, whereby said collector-sections are movably supportedwith their outer ends having free movement, substantially as described.f

6. A wheel-fender comprisinga frame provided with closed sides, atilting collector within said frame formed of two sections pivotedtogether, each provided with a pair of bearings projecting approximatelycentrally from their sides, two pairs of slots in said closed sides inwhich said bearings rest, whereby said collector-sections are movablysupported, and means carried by said closed sides adapted to maintainsaid collector normally in an untilted position, substantially asdescribed.

7. A wheel-fender comprising aframe provided .with side sections, atilting collector within said frame formed of two sections pivotedtogether, slots in said side sections in which said collector-sectionsare movably supported and springs 1n said sides adapted to 'maintainsaid collector normally in an untilted position, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

MANUEL ESPINOSA DE LOS MONTEROS. Witnesses:

AGUSTIN MONTES -Dr OCA,

SAM E. DE Los MoN'rERos.

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